ArcaMax

Once you've interviewed and put into place the professionals who will be the backbone of your security system, it's time to think about the ones who help maintain your physical well-being. To begin, make a list of the examinations basic to your health -- e.g., Pap test, gynecological exam, dental checkup, mammogram, echogram, annual physical ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: It feels like my parents neglect to recognize my birthday every year, and it is becoming painful. My birthday was about two months ago, and they didn't make time to celebrate with me. I shared with them that I'd love to go out to dinner or do something together. After the day passed with no celebration, I told them that this ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was invited to a brunch as the only guest. The hosts live in a 6,000-square-foot mansion, of which all of the rooms could be photographed for a slick architectural magazine.

Brunch was delicious, but the rub of the situation was that the house was 54 degrees in temperature, and it was 15 degrees outside. I am on blood ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married for 12 years to a good man whom I love very much, but I dread nearly every holiday, birthday dinner and casual Sunday visit with his family. On the surface, my in-laws are charming, polished and the sort of people everyone else describes as "so nice." But behind that polished exterior is a steady drip of cutting...Read more

DEAR ABBY: We were friends with a couple we met about five years ago. We went out together a few times and mostly saw them at our neighborhood bar. They live about 30 miles away.

Well, the husband passed away about a year ago, so we offered the wife a bedroom whenever she comes this way so she doesn't have to drive in the dark. The last time ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I started a book club around eight months ago, and I advertised it on my community's Facebook page. I was so excited because the first time I hosted, it was a success. More than 30 people came, and the discussion we had on the book was amazing. As I've hosted more sessions, the numbers have slowly started to dwindle, with as few ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We need major publicity to get across a matter of etiquette for concert and theater attendees: WAIT UNTIL THE CURTAIN CALL IS OVER AND EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE THEIR BOWS BEFORE STANDING. ONLY STAND AT THE VERY END -- AFTER THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS TAKE THEIR BOW.

Directors could put such a notice in the printed program,...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married for 45 years, and the silence in my marriage feels deafening. It did not happen overnight. It built slowly over the years, like a snowball rolling downhill, growing larger and heavier until it now seems to fill every corner of our home.

I always believed I was being a good wife and partner. I raised our ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm struggling with what to do about my first job out of college. I've been here for four months, and while I expected a learning curve, I didn't expect the environment to feel so hostile. My boss yells at me across the office for small, easily fixable mistakes. The latest incident involved her slamming her hands on the table several ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son, a young Black man, has just experienced his first-ever run-in with law enforcement. He has a 1 a.m. curfew and was on his way home from hanging out with friends. In an attempt to make it home on time, he drove above the speed limit; he was pulled over and had a panic attack. The officers who stopped him asked him to step ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A very dear friend of mine, with whom I've been friends for 50 years, has grown a full set of very long facial hair. He now has a full beard and a large mustache, all gray.

Years ago, I was assaulted by a man with exactly that gray facial hair. Even looking at pictures of my friend now traumatizes me. We live far apart, and ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband retired eight months ago, and ever since then, our home has felt less like a place to relax and more like a company he has decided to manage. After years of leaving early, coming home late and barely noticing whether the bath towels matched, he is suddenly very interested in how everything is done and has strong opinions...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have a new close friend, and I am conflicted about whether I should inform her about her husband's misdeeds. Before we became close, I learned he had been sexting and sending nude photos to two women I know. He often makes inappropriate jokes. He recently sent me an inappropriate message, which, even if he was joking, made me ...Read more

He kept emailing me about the slide. I had already told him what I knew: There wasn't extra funding for a replacement slide. The parks department wasn't ignoring the request. They wanted to redo the entire playground, and in that context, it was a fair question. Was it worth investing in something temporary, knowing it would be replaced?

I ...Read more